BAD DENIM in town

Bad denim might conjure up visions of Britney and Justin's denim a deux or just a particularly dubious pair of stay-pressed nasties that your dad refused to take off throughout the Eighties, but soon those words may supply the answer to your every denim woe. Bad Denim is a new boutique in London's Clapton, where its owner - Erin McQuinn - is set to use her expertise, gained from working with some major names, to refresh your wardrobe.

"I started out doing the production for MiH Jeans," she told us. "It was a deep denim-immersion experience and I spent most of my four years there in Istanbul and Italy at the wash-house and packaging centre, doing all of the measuring and quality control. For the past three years I've been developing the denim line for Victoria Beckham. People wear denim everyday - it sounds lame, but it's such a fabric of life and a starting point and base for every outfit - whether you are denim obsessed or not. Denim ages with you and the best pairs have been loved and worn-in to perfection. I think people want to fall in love with a pair, and make them their best friend.  They want to look amazing and sexy and not have to be precious with it like you would a silk top."

With styles arranged in cut rather than brand - so that finding the skinny or high-waist flare you crave is that much easier - McQuinn stocks the big premium labels as well as vintage styles that she sources herself. Deliberately "self-service" and with a personal, customer-centred approach, the store takes the confusion out of buying denim by paring back the rhetoric and focusing on the one unifying element.

"I wanted to open a denim den that exclusively focused on the fabric - offering only jeans, shirts and overalls," she explained. "I think when you're out to find a bad-ass pair of jeans you aren't looking for anything else and really want to spend some time there talking to someone who can help. I wanted to use my denim-brand background to only stock the best cuts and fabric, every single pair here is special."

 Why the name then, when she offers anything but?

"A friend said to me, 'oh my god that's such bad denim' and I just liked it," she smiled.

Five Tips For Buying Good Denim by Erin McQuinn

• Dissecting all the fits and what suits you can be intimidating. There are so many little placement things, that when done right in denim can make you look like perfection. Play with ankle length and rise height, play with back-pocket placement, play with denim weight and stretch levels. 
• Stretch has thrown a lot of confusion into the mix. Everyone has been burned by a pair that goes saggy at the knees and maybe has a bit of hesitation in jumping into a new pair.  There are different levels of stretch and it's important to know the difference and what you like.
• To find the right pair, you need to try them on. Go a bit out of your usual shape comfort zone and spend some time with it. A big complaint is the gap at the back which happens on some body types but all brands cut differently and there are pairs to suit everyone.
• Spend some time and get your denim staples - every wardrobe should have the perfect skinny, the perfect boyfriend and the perfect straight-leg style. These are the starting points and completely throw a new spin on the overall silhouette. 
• Be brave with denim. I do head-to-toe sometimes and it can be creepy. I tend to dress like a giant denim baby in overalls, rompers and stuff.  My weakness is a one-piece suit.

xoxo whoopy yun

credit:vogue